Hull KR are expecting to be without Andrew Heffernan for the majority of pre-season ahead of their Super League return as the club begin to send players for surgery.

Heffernan underwent shoulder surgery this morning which is expected to rule him out until late January, and he’s just the first set to go under the knife as the club look to get their players operated on as soon as possible to enable them to return as close to the start of the 2018 Super League season as possible.

Prop Nick Scruton is also set for surgery on a wrist injury and could be facing shoulder surgery, as could captain Shaun Lunt who is awaiting news on a scan on his problem.

“Heffernan has been needing the surgery for probably the last five or six weeks but has kept playing and we’ve managed him through,” Sheens told the Mail.

“Nick has a wrist problem which we’re looking to get done, but he’s also got a shoulder issue which we are looking at. Lunt is having his shoulder looked at and we don’t know if he needs surgery yet or not.

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“Danny Addy has torn a pec muscle so he’ll be done for the year too. The players have been playing busted for us.

“Getting the chance to get the surgery done now early is important because if they need their shoulder doing that’s four to six months out depending on how serious. Even Nick with his wrist will be laid up for a couple of months.”

Sheens has revealed the extent of the injury problems in his squad as he made 10 changes for Friday's final home game of the season against Catalans Dragons.

The majority of those absent are due to injury concerns, with the KR coach saying his squad have been playing busted to enable them to secure a Super League place.

Prop Mose Masoe is not injured but has been allowed to return home to Australia for a break before returning early with his family for pre-season training.